Cienfuegos’ Restaurant, El Cobre, Opening Imminently

Word is the long-awaited Cuban restaurant beneath Ravi DeRossi’s (Death & Co., Mayahuel) “Cocteleria” is on the verge of opening, thereby completing the Cienfuegos complex that also includes Carteles next door. The restaurant will be called El Cobre, after the town where a statue of Cuba’s patron saint is located. We stopped in (crashed?) the friends and family last night, and found walls sponge-painted in a mishmash of colors (more subdued than the dotty-great-aunt hues on display upstairs), and though it was freezing out, an arsenal of ceiling fans whirled slowly in unison. But on to more important things: the drinks and food!

Mayur Subbarao of Dram designed a cocktail list that includes at least a couple of tiki-esque drinks (what else would you expect from a rum bar these days?). We hear the guys from Noble Rot are also consulting on a wine list. Food from chef Luis Gonzales included ropa vieja sliders, yucca fries, and Cubanitos (mini-Cuban-sandwiches). Watch this space for more details.